Flexible connector



' 7 w. e. TAYLOR ET AL 2,426,251

FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR Filed April e, 1946 IN VEN TORS WAR/PEN 6. T4 YLO/v I C/MFZL'S 1. 514A 751? A TYPE VF) Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR Warren G. Taylor, Essex Fells, and Charles L.

Baxter, West Caldwell, N. J., assignors to Federal Telephone and Radio Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 6, 1946, Serial No. 660,102

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electron discharge devices and particularly to the connectors thereof.

Connectors for electron discharge devices are frequently required to be flexible to allow for bending in the manufacture of the devices, as well as to allow for expansion and contraction during operation thereof. While flexible wire proves satisfactory for connectors in low power and relatively low frequency devices or tubes, under certain circumstances where said connectors perform additional functions or are used for ultra-high frequency operation and form part of lecher lines, it becomes desirable to use relatively rigid rods.

For example, in certain types of magnetrons, the connectors to the anodes serve as parts of lecher lines, support the anodes and in addition function as conduits for the cooling medium. for said anodes. Flexible wire is unsatisfactory for a lecher line since it is difficult to maintain an accurate parallel relationship between two flexible wires; flexible wire makes a poor anode support since the wires give, particularly with temperature variations, and the anode is not maintained in fixed position; and finally flexible wire cannot readily serve as a conduit for a cooling medium. Under such circumstances, connectors are preferably made in relatively rigid form, such as for .example, rigid rods, and openings are provided in said rods to convey the cooling medium.

While under said conditions the connectors are preferably relatively rigid, a certain amount of flexibility is desirable for the satisfactory manufacture of such devices and for their operation. In the manufacture of certain types of electron discharge devices (e. g. magnetrons) it becomes necessary to bend said rigid rods in sealing them to the envelope. Due to variations in the envelope which may be of glass, the particular bending of said rod may be in any one of a number of directions. If the connectors or rods do not have sufficient flexibility, they will exert strains and pressures upon the envelope which may ultimately result in the fracture of the envelope or the loosening ofthe seals. In the operation of many of such devices, particularh those utilizing a substantial amount of power, the temperature variations between operating and non-operating conditions may require that said rods accommodate substantial compression and expansion, which may be for example, a quarter inch variation in length. Furthermore where such rods or connectors additionally serve as lecher lines, as in the instances hereinabove cited, it is important that the means selected for rendering said connectors flexible, be such that there is no substantial change in the surge impedance of the line and that no substantial additional impedances are introduced.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved flexible low impedance connector for electron discharge devices.

Another object is the provision of a connector of the type mentioned in the foregoing paragraph which further serves as part of a lecher line and which may also serve as a cooling medium conduit.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent and the invention will be best understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, reference being had to the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a connector embodying the present invention, supporting an anode of a magnetron;

Fig. 2 is a schematic, elevational view, partially broken away, of a magnetron employing connectors embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the connector I for use in an electron discharge device is comprised of two relatively rigid portions 2 and 3 connected together by an intermediate portion 4. The relatively rigid portions 2 and 3 may be made of any suitable conducting material, such as copper, and may be in the form of rods. An anode 5 may be attached to rod 3 by any suitable means, such as for example, welding or brazing, and for the purpose of cooling the anode 5, rod 3 may be hollow so as to accommodate a cooling fluid. The intermediate portion 4 is made of conductive material which may be copper and is in the form of a tube whose opening or whose axis extends at right angles to the extension of rods 2 and 3. In the embodiment illustrated, the configuration of portion 4 is cylindrical having two extensions 6 and 1 at diametrically opposite points therefrom, which extensions fit into suitable slots 8 and 9 cut in the adjacent ends of the rods 2 and 3. The diameter of member 4 is preferably substantially equal to the diameter of either rods 2 and 3 and the length of the member. 4 (measured horizontally) is preferably substantially the same as the diameter of either rods 2 or 3. Accordingly, portion 4 is aligned with rods 2 and 3 and does not project out therefrom to any material extent. The walls of member 4 are prefer ably sufficiently thin to permit rod 2 to move in various directions without requiring much force. The intermediate portion 4 introduces only a relatively low impedance in connector I. When two such connectors are employed to form a lecher line, very little change in the surge impedance of the line is caused by the presence of intermediate relationship to red 3.

portions 4. The intermediate portion 4 may be made of a single flat ribbon doubled over on itself and bent to form both of the curved semicylindrical portionslof the intermediate portion 4. It may also be made of two ribbons placed side by side and provided with semi-cylindrical bends, the ends of the two pieces fittin into the slots 8 and 9 respectively in rods 2 and}.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in the magnetron In there illustrated, two such-connectors I are employed, each having their rods 2 sea-led through the upper end of the envelope H and their rods 3 sealed through the lower end of the envelope ll. Pipes l2 carrying the cooling'fluid are inserted far into the opening in each of rods 3 and the cooling fluid fiowsput of pipes I'2 into'the spacebetween said pipes l2 and rods 3. The anodes 5 supported on each of said connectors I are arrangedopposite each'other with a cathode I3- in the; form ofa single filament arranged inbetween. -A magnetic fieldis-provided by any suitable magnet (only'indicated-inthe drawings by the-word {magnetWand the-numeral M)- which causestheelectronsirom the-filament 'to move in a spiral path. To prevent the electronsemitted by cathode l3 from-escaping between the anodes and hitting the walls of the envelope, (the envelope --l| being-preferably-made of glass and therefore-susceptibleto-fracture due to the impact-of the electrons thereon) ,shields l5 are arranged at the; top and bottom of the anodes and additional shields l6 arernounted at the opposite ends-of the anodes (see Fig. 3). Thecathode I3 ismountedon supporting leads Il-extending out through thebottom of the envelope.

In the-manufacture of the magnetron, the envelope ;consists -of an upper and lower dished portion I8 and l9,respectively, whichare brought together andfused along the line 28. Before this fusing, the lower dish-shaped member l9 has the rods 3 sealed therein. The upper dish-shaped member [9 is then-brought over the rods 2. A sleeve-2| whose-bottom =22 consists of Kovar, is slippedover each-pfthe rods 2- andis brazed to -rod 2as Well as'sealed to the glass of the dishsh iDBd--member 19. During these processes, the

rod 2' i heated and thereforemust have room for expansion. This is providedfor' by the intermediate member-'4 ineach .of said rods which is readily-expansible as-well ascompressible. Furthermore, due to-the shrinkagev of the glass to which the sleeve 2l, is sealed, a tilt-may be given to-rod 2,- and-rod 2 hasto be able to bend with This likewise is provided for by intermediate portion l which permits tilting of-rod 2 in-anygiven-direction.

Likewise during operation of themagnetron, relatively large amounts-of heat are developed, particularly-where the magnetron handles a substantial amount of power. Under these circumstances it is particularly important that rods 2 and 3-be capable of expansion during operation and contraction-after operation and cooling with- -out putting too much 'strain upon the envelope orupon the seals.

While-we have described above theprinciples of our invention iii-connection with specific apparatus, it isto be clearly understood that this description -is--made only by way of example and not as, a limitation on thescope of our invention asset forth -in 'theobjects hereof. 'We claim: 7

1. A- connector for an electron discharge device comprisingtwo-relatively rigidportions and an intennediate-connecting portion having a tubular 4 configuration with its axis substantially perpendicular to said rigid portions.

2. A connector according to claim 1 wherein saidintermediate portion has two extensions each attached to one of saidrigid portions.

3. A connector according to claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion has two relatively flat -extensions, said rigid portions being slotted adjacent said extensions, said extensions being accommodated withinsaid slots and attached within said slots to said rigid portions.

4. -A connector according to claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion is substantially cylindrical and hastwo extensions at diametrically opposite points thereon, each attached to one of said rigid portions.

5. A connector according to claim 1 wherein one of said rigid portions is hollow and adapted to havea cooling. medium circulated therein and an electrode for said electron. discharge device attached to said hollow portion and adapted to be cooled by said cooling medium.

6. A connector according-to claim 1 wherein -1, wherein said rigidportion are supported from .said envelope and an electrode is mounted on one of saidrigid portions and supportedthereby.

'9. In an electron'discharge deviceincluding an envelope, and a-connector-according to claim 1, wherein said rigid'portions are supported from said envelope, one of said-rigid portions extending through the envelope-and having an opening extending lengthwise therein for the circulation vof a cooling medium therethrough an anode I mounted on; the rigid portion havingan opening therein and adapted to be cooled by the cooling medium circulatingtherethrough.

-10. in a magnetron having'an envelope, apair .of' connectors each comprising two relatively rigid portions and anintermediate connecting. portion having a tubular con-figuration with its axis substantially perpendicular to said ,otherpoitions, said rigid portions being-supported from said envelope,-oneofthe rigidportions of each connector being hollowfor the circulation of a cooling "medium therethrough, a pair of anodes each mounted on one of said-hollow portions and adapted to be cooled-by the cooling medium circu- .lated therein.

11. A-magnetron according to'claim- 10 wherein said intermediate connecting portion 'is relative- 1 y thin and the length of said tubular portion is long as the diameter of said-rigid portions, said connecting portion and rigidI portions beingsubstantially aligned.

WARREN G. TAYLOR. "CHARLES L. BAXTER. 

